How Can Intermittent Fasting And Working Out Help Improve Gut Health?

Fasting is not a new phenomenon. It’s a well-known spiritual practice in many religions for centuries now.

However, it has become more than just a spiritual practice if we talk of contemporary time.

Intermittent fasting is part of numerous people’s lifestyles dedicated to reaching the goal of healthy living. Most of us are very well aware of the benefits of intermittent fasting.

But, one thing we aren’t aware of is – intermittent fasting mixed with physical activities can help improve gut health drastically. Moreover, fasting can help speed up the process of losing weight.

Not just weight loss, it can help maintain a healthy and active body too. Many studies claim that intermittent fasting has various health benefits combined with workouts.

Therefore, this article will describe the essential points you need to know before practicing fast and working out together.

What is Intermittent Fasting?

It’s vital to understand what intermittent fasting is before getting into the specifics of how it might boost gut health.

Intermittent fasting is an eating routine that cycles between periods of fasting and eating.

Unlike many fad diets, intermittent fasting does not limit what you can or cannot eat. Instead, it emphasizes the importance of meal timings.

It’s crucial to remember that while practicing intermittent fasting, one must not overeat during their eating window.

The idea is to eat fewer meals so that your body can burn stored fat for energy instead of the food you just ate.

There are many methods for adding intermittent fasting to your diet:

• Time-restricted fasting, like the 16:8 or 18:6 methods, involves fasting every day for specific hours and eating in remaining.
• The 5:2 diet, which involves eating as you usually do 5 days of the week and restricting your calorie intake for the rest of the week;
• 24-hour fast that you could do once or twice per week only to succeed.

How Does Intermittent Fasting Impact Gut Health

Now that we know about intermittent fasting, it’s time to explore how it might impact gut health specifically.

Reducing Inflammation

Some research suggests that intermittent fasting may help reduce inflammation throughout the body, including the gut.

One study found that mice who fasted every other day had reduced levels of inflammatory markers and a healthier balance of gut bacteria compared to mice who didn’t fast at all.

Protects Against Gut Disease

Some research suggests that intermittent fasting and low-intensity activities could help protect against gut diseases, such as IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and Leaky Gut.

IBS is a condition that affects our large intestine and causes symptoms such as abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation.

A leaky gut syndrome is when the intestinal walls become damaged, allowing toxins and bacteria to leak into the bloodstream.

This can lead to numeral health problems, including autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammation.

Intermittent fasting helps clear out the toxins from your gut and helps repair the damaged cells. Low-intensity activities like yoga, walking, cycling, etc., help circulate the blood properly and aid in better digestion.

Improves Gut Diversity

According to studies, intermittent fasting boosts the diversity of our gut bacteria.

It is well-known that a more diversified bacterial environment in our intestines promotes better gut function. Vitamin K, B12, and thiamin are all produced by bacteria.

Bacteria in our stomachs break down carbohydrates from our meals and create short-chain fatty acids, compounds similar to butyrate.

These short-chain fatty acids are necessary for maintaining a healthy gut environment and, as a result, our immune system and metabolic function.

Gut microbiota is diverse, and each has a specific set of duties. Maintaining a healthy and varied environment for intestinal bacteria is critical to promoting optimal health and digestive function.

This is where intermittent fasting and workout comes into play. Regular workout and intermittent fasting help in the proper burning of carbohydrates and other fatty acids.

Intermittent fasting gives your body enough time to digest the food and absorb all the essential nutrients.

Moreover, working out helps improve gut health by flushing out all the toxins from our bodies.

It also improves blood circulation and the digestion system. All of these factors work together to promote a healthy gut microbiota.

No More Obesity

A study by NCBI shows that physical activities can help fight the battle against obesity.

Obesity a major reason for several digestive disorders. People facing obesity are likely to suffer from constipation, acid reflux, heartburn, and other such problems.

A regular workout helps shed those extra kilos and tones your body muscles. It makes you feel more active, which in turn aids better digestion.

Intermittent fasting and focused workout sessions improve efficiency as it decreases insulin levels and makes cells insulin resistive.

Insulin control eventually helps you maintain a healthy weight and lowers the risk of obesity-related health problems.

Conclusion

When combined with regular physical activity, intermittent fasting can be an effective strategy for improving gut health.

This combination can help to improve gut diversity, protect against gut diseases, and promote weight loss. All of these factors contribute to better overall health.

Try incorporating intermittent fasting and working out into your routine to see the benefits.